Number of injuries and illnesses with days away from
work, 2003-2005
1,400,000
1,200,000
407,610
408,400
1,000,000
394,090
800,000
Goods-producing industries
Service-providing industries
600,000
908,310
400,000
850,930
840,580
2004
2005
Total injuries
2003: 1,315,920
2004: 1,259,320
2005: 1,234,680
200,000
0
2003
Injuries and illnesses
In 2005 there were 1,234,680 injuries and illnesses with days away from work. Goods-producing industries declined by 3.5 percent; injuries and illnesses in the
service-providing industries remained relatively the same.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days away from work.
Chart 1
Percent change in incidence rate of injuries and illnesses
by selected events and exposures, 2004-2005
Below
average
improvement
Above average improvement
Assault, violent act, by person
Assault, violent act
Repetitive motion
Overexertion in lifting
Overexertion
Transportation accidents
Slips, trips
Total
All events or exposures -4.0%
Struck by object
Exposed to harmful substance
0.0%
-5.0%
-10.0%
-15.0%
-20.0%
Incidence rates for all events fell by 4.0 percent between 2004 and 2005. Assaults and violent acts by persons fell by 20 percent; all assaults and violent acts
fell by 14.3 percent; repetitive motion declined by 12.7 percent; overexertion in lifting fell by 9.7 percent; and overexertion fell by 7.6 percent. Struck by object
and exposed to harmful substance fell less than the average for all events and exposures.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days away from work.
Chart 2
Occupations with 20,000 or more injuries and illnesses, 2005
Laborers and freight, stock,
and material movers
92,240
65,930
Truck drivers, heavy/tractor-trailer
Nursing aides, orderlies, attendants
52,150
Construction laborers
39,270
Truck drivers, light/delivery services
32,740
Retail salespersons
32,300
Janitors and cleaners
31,440
Carpenters
31,270
Maintenance and repair
workers, general
23,170
Stock clerks and order fillers
23,060
20,100
Registered nurses
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
90,000
100,000
Injuries and illnesses
(1,234,680 injuries and illnesses with days away from work)
Eleven occupations had 20,000 or more injuries and illnesses in 2005. Laborers and material movers suffered the most injuries and illnesses, followed by heavy
and tractor-trailer truck drivers and nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days away from work.
Chart 3
Occupations with 20,000 or more injuries and illnesses, 2003-2005
100,000
90,000
80,000
70,000
2003
60,000
2004
50,000
2005
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
C
ar
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ai
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0
For three years, these eleven occupations had the most injuries and illnesses. Laborers and material movers (increased 3.4 percent); heavy and tractor-trailer
truck drivers (increased 3.7 percent); and nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants (no change) had the most injuries and illnesses from 2004 to 2005.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days away from work.
Chart 4
Injuries and illnesses and employment for
occupations with 20,000 or more injuries and illnesses, 2005
10.0%
9.0%
8.0%
Percentage of injuries and illnesses
Percentage of employment
7.0%
6.0%
5.0%
4.0%
3.0%
2.0%
1.0%
ar
pe
nt
er
s
C
sa
le
sp R
er et
so ai
ns l
Ja
ni
to
c l rs
ea a
ne nd
rs
re
pa M
ir a
w in
or te
ke na
rs nc
,g e
en an
er d
St
al
oc
k
or cle
de rks
rf a
ill nd
er
R
s
eg
is
te
re
d
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rs
es
D
riv
er
an s/s
d ale
La
tr s
uc w
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re
dr ke
rs
iv rs
er
an an
s
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ov ock
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e ps
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C
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rs
0.0%
Injuries and illnesses are not always in proportion to their share of employment. Maintenance and repair workers account for 1.9% of injuries and illnesses but
only 0.2% of employment, and had the largest ratio of injuries to employment of the occupations shown here. Registered nurses have the smallest ratio of
injuries to employment and account for 1.6% of injuries and illnesses and1.7% of employment.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days away from work.
Chart 5
Employment and injuries and illnesses
by occupation group, 2005
Management, business,
and financial
14.4
2.3
Professional and related
20.3
6.7
16.3
Service
20.0
11.6
Sales and related
6.5
Office and administrative support
13.8
7.4
Percentage of employment
Percentage of injuries and illnesses
0.7
1.3
Farming, fishing, and forestry
6.5
Construction and extraction
12.4
Installation, maintenance,
and repair
3.7
6.6
Production
14.0
Transportation and
material moving
Not reported
8.7
6.1
20.5
0.2
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
1,234,680 injuries and illnesses with days away from work.
Employment – Current Population Survey, Private Wages and Salary Workers
Transportation and material movers account for 6.1% of employment, far below their 20.5% share of injuries and illnesses. Management, business, and
financial workers account for 14.4% of employment, but only 2.3% of injuries and illnesses.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days away from work.
Chart 6
Occupations with the highest median days
away from work, 2005
14
Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer
First-line supervisors/managers of
retail sales workers
13
Truck drivers, light or delivery services
10
Industrial machinery mechanics
10
First-line supervisors/managers of
construction trades and extraction workers
10
Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
10
Packers and packagers, hand
10
Electricians
9
Security guards
9
Home health aides
9
Inspectors, testers, sorters,
samplers, and weighers
9
7
All occupations
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
Median days away from work
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers and first-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers had the highest median days away from work among
occupations with ½% of the total days away from work cases. These two occupations had twice the median days for all occupations.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days away from work.
Chart 7
Injuries and illnesses and employment
by industry domain, 2005
Goods-producing
industries
Goods-producing
industries
21.0%
31.9%
68.1%
79.0%
Service-providing
industries
Injuries and illnesses with
days away from work
Service-providing
industries
Employment
(BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages)
(Total=1,234,680 injuries and illnesses)
Goods-producing industries made up 21 percent of private industry employment but accounted for 32 percent of injuries and illnesses with days away from
work. Service-providing industries made up 79 percent of employment and 68 percent of injuries and illnesses in 2005.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days away from work.
Chart 8
Injuries and illnesses and hours worked
by gender of worker, 2005
Women
Women
33.8%
41.1%
66.2%
58.9%
Men
Injuries and illnesses with
days away from work
(Total=1,234,680 injuries and illnesses;
Chart excludes unreported data.)
Men
Hours worked
(Current Population Survey,
Private Wage and Salary Workers)
Almost two-thirds of injured or ill workers were men in 2005, well above their 59 percent share of the nation’s hours worked.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days away from work.
Chart 9
Injuries and illnesses and hours worked
by age of worker, 2005
30.0%
25.3%
25.0%
23.5%
25.7%
23.6%
22.9%
23.3%
20.0%
Injuries and illnesses
Hours worked
15.0%
11.0%
10.8% 10.2%
11.6%
10.0%
5.0%
3.4%
3.1%
2.2%
2.4%
0.0%
16 - 19
20 - 24
1,234,680 injuries and illnesses
with days away from work.
25 - 34
35 - 44
45 - 54
55 - 64
65 +
Hours worked
(Current Population Survey,
Private Wage and Salary Workers)
Workers 20 to 24 have a higher share of injuries and illnesses in 2005 than their share of hours worked would suggest. Every other group
either has fewer injuries than their share of hours worked would suggest, or are very close.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days away from work.
Chart 10
Median days away from work due to injuries
and illnesses by age of worker, 2005
65 and over
12
11
55 to 64
10
45 to 54
Age of
worker
8
35 to 44
6
25 to 34
20 to 24
4
16 to 19
4
All ages
median 7 days
3
14 to 15
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
Median days away from work
The length of absences from work rose with the age of the worker from a median of three days for workers between 14 and 16 years old
to a median of 12 days from workers 65 and older.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days away from work.
Chart 11
Percentage of injuries and illnesses by race or ethnic
origin and selected industries, 2003-2005
50.0%
46
45.0%
2003
2004
2005
39
40.0%
35.0%
30
30.0%
25.0%
21
20.0%
18
16
15.0%
13
10.0%
8
7
Le
ho isu
sp re
ita an
lit d
y
E
he du
al ca
th tio
se n
rv an
ic d
es
N
M
an
uf
ac
tu
rin
g
ta
To
on
st
ru
ct
io
n
Black only
l
White only
C
0.0%
at
ur
al
an res
d ou
m rc
in es
in
g
5.0%
Not reported
Hispanic or Latino
There were 163,440 injuries and illnesses with days away from work among Hispanic and Latino workers in 2005. Among Hispanic and Latino workers, natural
resources and mining (which includes agriculture) had the highest percentage of injuries. About 30 percent of cases do not report race and ethnicity data.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days away from work.
Chart 12
Injury and illness topology
Nature of
disabling
condition
Part of body
affected
A nursing aide
sprains
her
back
from
overexertion
in
patient
lifting
Source
directly
producing
disability
Event
or
exposure
Each injury or illness is
described from four viewpoints.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days away from work.
Chart 13
Distribution of injuries and illnesses by nature, 2005
Multiple injuries
Carpal
tunnel
syndrome
4.1%
Amputations
1.3%
0.7%
Tendonitis
Soreness, Pain
Chemical burns
5.3%
0.5%
0.5%
Heat burns
1.4%
Back pain
2.9%
Bruises, contusions
8.7%
All other
16.5%
Cuts, lacerations, punctures
9.6%
Fractures
7.8%
Sprains, strains
40.8%
Sprains and strains accounted for 503,530 cases, or more than 4 out of 10 of all nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses with days away from work in 2005.
Sprains and strains declined by 4 percent from 2004 to 2005. Carpal tunnel syndrome declined by 14 percent.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days away from work.
Chart 14
Median days away from work due to injuries or illnesses
by nature, 2005
Carpal tunnel syndrome
27
Fractures
27
22
Amputations
12
Tendonitis
Multiple injuries
8
Sprains, strains
8
5
Heat burns
Bruises, contusions
4
Cuts, lacerations
4
All natures
7 days
3
Chemical burns
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Median days away from work
Carpal tunnel syndrome and fractures each had a median of 27 days away from work, followed by amputations with 22 days in 2005.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days away from work.
Chart 15
Injuries and illnesses by part of body affected, 2005
25.0%
23.1%
22.0%
21.9%
20.0%
15.0%
12.8%
9.8%
10.0%
5.0%
3.8%
2.8%
1.5%
1.5%
Neck
Body
systems
0.9%
0.0%
Upper
extremities
Lower
extremities
Back
Trunk,
except
back
Multiple
parts
Head,
except
eye
Eye
All other
Upper extremities, lower extremities, and back each account for more than one-fifth of all injuries and illnesses.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days away from work.
Chart 16
Median days away from work due to injuries or illnesses
by part of body, 2005
Shoulder
15
Wrist
14
Knee
12
Lower extremities
9
Multiple Parts
8
Trunk
8
Foot, except toe
7
Upper extremities
7
Back
7
Neck
7
Toe
5
Finger
5
Hand, except finger
5
Body systems
All parts of body
7 days
4
Eye
2
Head
2
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Median days away from work
Injuries and illnesses to the shoulder (15 days) and to the wrist (14 days) required the most time to recuperate in 2005.
These were twice the median time required for all parts.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days away from work.
Chart 17
Distribution of injuries and illnesses by source, 2005
Floor, ground surfaces, 19.0%
Other, 19.1%
Health care patient, 4.4%
Worker motion or position, 14.7%
Handtools, 4.6%
Machinery, 6.5%
Vehicles, 8.9%
Containers, 12.3%
Parts and materials, 10.4%
Four sources accounted for over half of all nonfatal injuries and illnesses that resulted in days away from work in 2005: floor, ground surfaces with 19.0 percent;
worker motion or position with 14.7 percent; containers with 12.3 percent; and parts and materials with 10.4 percent.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days away from work.
Chart 18
Median days away from work due to injuries or illnesses
by source, 2005
Vehicles
10
Floors, walkways, ground surfaces
10
Worker motion or position
10
8
Containers
Parts and materials
7
Machinery
7
Health care patient
5
Tools, instruments, and equipment
5
All sources
7 days
5
Furniture and fixtures
3
Chemicals and chemical products
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Median days away from work
Of the sources of the injury or illness, vehicles; floors, walkways, ground surfaces; and worker motion or position had the highest
median days away from work with 10 days each.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days away from work.
Chart 19
Injuries and illnesses by event or exposure, 2005
45.0%
40.0%
39.7%
35.0%
30.0%
27.4%
25.0%
20.7%
20.0%
15.0%
10.0%
5.0%
5.0%
4.2%
1.7%
1.1%
0.2%
0.0%
Bodily
reaction
and
exertion
Contact with
objects and
equipment
Falls
Transportation
accidents
Exposure
to harmful
substances
Assaults
and
violent
acts
Other
Fires
and
explosions
Bodily reaction and exertion, contact with objects and equipment, and falls accounted for almost 90 percent of nonfatal injuries and illnesses
that resulted in days away from work in 2005.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days away from work.
Chart 20
Median days away from work due to injuries or illnesses by
event or exposure, 2005
Repetitive motion
19
Fires and explosions
16
Fall to lower level
13
Transportation accidents
10
Overexertion in lifting
8
Overexertion
8
Slips, trips, loss of balance--without fall
8
Fall on same level
8
Caught in equipment or object
8
Assaults and violent acts by person
5
Struck against object
5
Struck by object
5
All events
7 days
3
Exposure to harmful substances
0
5
10
15
20
25
Median days away from work
Repetitive motion, with a median of 19 days, resulted in the longest absences from work among leading events and exposures. Fires and explosions with 16
days and falls to lower level with 13 days had the next longest median days away from work
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days away from work.
Chart 21
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), 2002-2005
1,600,000
1,400,000
Total
MSD
1,200,000
1,000,000
800,000
600,000
400,000
34.0% of
total days
away from
work cases
200,000
33.1% of
total days
away from
work cases
32.0% of
total days
away from
work cases
30.4% of
total days
away from
work cases
0
2002
2003
2004
2005
In 2005, musculoskeletal disorders accounted for 375,540 cases, or 30 percent, of the injuries and illnesses with days away from work. This is the lowest
portion of total cases since BLS started collecting data on MSDs.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days away from work.
Chart 22
Musculoskeletal disorders by nature of injury or
illness, 2005
Back pain, hurt back, 5.9%
Soreness, pain, hurt, except the back, 5.3%
Carpal tunnel syndrome, 4.4%
Hernia, 4.8%
MSD system and connective tissue
diseases and disorders, except
tendonitis, 1.6%
Tendonitis, 1.3%
Sprains, strains, tears, 76.7%
(375,540 Musculoskeletal disorder cases with days away from work)
Sprains, strains, and tears accounted for over three-fourths of the musculoskeletal disorders that resulted in days away from work in 2005
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, cases involving days away from work.
Chart 23